Discovering Byzantine traces in İstanbul
What is this life if, full of care
We have no time to stand and stare.
These are the opening lines of a poem by William Henry Davies in which he bemoans that we miss so many beautiful things in life because we are rushing.
The Chora Museum is one of the numerous Byzantine sites in İstanbul Robert van den Graven recounts in his book.
Crowds and rush describe Istanbul. You only need to be on one of the mighty suspension bridges spanning the Bosporus during rush hour to see the crowds of people trying to get from one continent to another, often sounding their horns in frustration at the task. Or witness the mighty tide of pedestrians pouring over Galata Bridge to get to work.
The city is full of millions of people who are all in a rush to get the next job done, get to the next appointment or just to get home after an extremely tiring day amongst all the crowds.
We are all so busy that often day after day we pass by familiar landmarks neglecting to look up and admire their beauty. Many passengers on the ferry home to Asia close their eyes and rest after a hard day and miss the view of the İstanbul skyline, which has thrilled and amazed travelers for nearly two millennia.
In our haste to catch the train, to purchase our jeton before the ferry departs, not to miss the bus we race past sites that have been silent witnesses to the journeys of centuries of İstanbulites.
Not only do we not know what hidden treasures lie under our feet, we don’t have time to look up at ancient buildings and walls or peer over fences to see old ruins or explore down hidden alleyways.
In his self-guided tour to Byzantine İstanbul, Robert van den Graven encourages us to take time to explore the amazing history of the city that is easily accessible today to the one who takes the time to find it.
Graven introduces us to İstanbul’s glorious history as Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire for over 1,000 years. The book says of itself, “From the awe-inspiring domed nave of Hagia Sophia to the majestic remains of the fifth-century Theodosian walls, from the exquisite mosaics of Chora Church to dungeons and underground cisterns, from Greek Orthodox churches to sacred springs, the ten walking routes in this book take visitors through every layer of İstanbul’s rich Byzantine past.”
The name Byzantines was invented by 19th century historians. The Byzantines themselves thought of themselves as Romans, citizens of the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. At heart, though, they were Greeks, as they spoke this language, and its learning influenced the church and state. For example, they taught Platonic philosophy.
Some of the sites that van Graven takes us to are well known and open to the public: the Hagia Sophia, the Hippodrome, Çemberlitaş (the Burnt Column), Yerebatan Sarayı (the Underground Cisterns), the Mosaic Museum, Galata Tower, Kariye (Chora Museum) and the walls of the city. Even with the advent of the Müze Kartı, which gives unlimited annual access to museums for a fixed price, the majority of residents of İstanbul have not visited all of these places.
But, even if you have visited them, you may well have missed some of the excellent detail included in this guide. For example, few of us exploring the Hippodrome have gone down a side street at its seeming end and crossed a school playground to see the drop down towards the shore, which was the old wall at the end of the Hippodrome enclosing the spectators’ area. Also it is rare to find a guide that explains the story of each of the frescos of the Chora Museum, including the gallery that shows the life of the Virgin Mary; even the museum doesn’t have this available.
Here is a quick overview of what is covered in each of the walks:
1: Where else could you start but with the Hagia Sophia? Constantinople was the biggest metropolis in the world, and the Hagia Sophia was one of the greatest buildings in the world. The Slavs who came here were so awestruck that “they knew not whether they were in heaven or on earth.”
2: Coming out of the Hagia Sophia you enter the political powerhouse of Constantinople. With the Hagia Sophia, the emperor’s palace and the Hippodrome in the vicinity, this was where the will of the emperor, God and the people could be heard.
3: In Cankurtaran “you find little bits of Byzantine history wherever you go,” whether this is the basement under a carpet shop or going up a few flights of stairs in a building to peer down at excavations that are hidden from sight at street level.
4: The “Mese” was the Byzantine Fifth Avenue, with smart shops and restaurants.
5: Around the Grand Bazaar life seems not to have changed for generations. Twelfth century resident John Tzetzes complained that “workers kept digging up the road so it was impossible for him to get in or out.”
6 &7: Take a walk and train ride around the sea walls. This section has been updated to include the amazing finds during the Marmaray project.
8: Later Byzantine palaces, churches and dungeons! This section contains a transition to the modern day with the Palace of Blachernae over which the Ottoman flag first flew when the city of Constantinople fell to Mehmet the Conqueror.
9: The old districts of Fener and Balat by the Golden Horn contain many treasures that are unknown to those of us who race past on the coast road. Turning aside you can explore such beauties as St. Mary of the Mongols, the Church of Theotokos Pammakaristos (Fethiye Camii), the Church of St. Theodosia (Gül Camii) and the Church of the Pantokrator (Zeyrek Camii). Many of these sites have amazing significance relating to the Ottoman conquest of the city, for some of the fiercest fighting in 1453 was along this stretch of the walls. Gül Camii (Rose Mosque) in fact gets its name from this time. May 29 was St. Theodosia’s feast day. On the day the city was to fall, a large congregation gathered here to pray for deliverance from the hands of the Turks. The church was decorated with garlands of roses for the occasion, and when the Ottoman soldiers stormed in they found these still in place -– hence the Turkish name.
10: It is not just the old city that has Byzantine remains. Galata was called “Sycae” -- the fig orchard -- in Byzantine times, but apart from the tower it does have other buildings and remains. So, too, have various villages along the Bosporus -- for example, Kuruçeşme -- right up to the amazing Byzantine keep above the village of Anadolu Kavağı at the entrance to the Black Sea on the Asian side.
What if you can’t come to İstanbul to explore the back streets, push open gateways, walk down steps to see basement remains and lift up your head to gaze up at tall columns? Van den Graven recommends a fascinating Web site www.byzantium1200.com, which has reconstructions of what the city would have looked like in A.D. 1200. As well as general views of the city, this intriguing site contains pictures of what 66 different buildings would have looked like. Using this site in conjunction with the photos in van den Graven’s book gives you an amazing armchair tour of the old city.
“Byzantine Istanbul,” by Robert van den Graven, published by Çitlembik
http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-206326-110-discovering-byzantine-traces-in-istanbul.html
Galata Tower in Istanbul – A Tower of Power | sultanahmet1.com
Galata Tower in Beyoglu Istanbul Turkey
Galata Tower (Galata Kulesi) in Istanbul provides a panoramic view of the old town. This oldest and most important monument was built in 507 by Emperor Anastasius using wood and named Lighthouse Tower. However, later in 1348, this tower was rebuilt at the highest point of the citadel of Galata district of Istanbul by Genoese colonists in 1348 as the ’Tower of Christ’ (Christea Turris in Latin).
This 66.90 meter tall tower happens to be one of the distinguishing landmarks of Istanbul. It is 35 meters above the level of the sea and has an internal diameter of 8.95 meters and an external diameter of 16.45 meters (at the base). If you suffer from fear of heights (acrophobia), then you should not consider going to this place. The balcony encircling the row of windows is very narrow and just two persons can walk at a time.
During the Byzantine period, this tower was named ‘Megalos Pyrgos’ (The Great Tower) while the Ottomans called this tower as ‘Hezarfen Tower’ named after Hezarfen Ahmed Celebi. During the 17 century, Hezarfen Ahmed Celebi became the first man in the history to fly when he glided from the tower top to the slopes of Scutari (Chrysopolis) using wooden wings. He jumped from the tower overflowing the Bosphorus and landed at Uskudar after covering a distance of six kilometers.
This tower suffered extensive damages in the fire of Galata in 1832. In 1875, the conic roof top of this tower was destroyed in a storm and the tower was without its any roof top in the Ottoman era. The restoration work of the tower was undertaken by Mahmut the Second and the tower was used as a sign tower.
Later in 1967, the tower and its conical cap were again restored. A concrete structure replaced the wooden interiors of the tower and it was open for general public. The tower became a famous tourist spot of Istanbul. It got its name from Galata, the historical province of Istanbul.
The outdoor balcony on the top floor of Galata Tower provides an enchanting and an excellent view over Istanbul’s rooftops and even across the Golden Cross as well. During the Ottoman period, the tower functioned as a fire lookout tower. However, now, the upper floors of this tower are used as a restaurant, a cafe and a night club for holding Turkish shows.
You can either choose to take a lift to reach the top floor of the tower or simply walk down the hill from Istiklal Caddesi’s end. Also, you may walk from the Galata Bridge side to the tower uphill. There is a nominal fee for visiting the observation deck of the tower, nearly $7 USD.
Turuncu Istanbul from Caner Cangül on Vimeo.
Top 10 Tourist Sites of Istanbul
Istanbul Sight -Blue Mosque - Hagia Sophia
If you are on a short visit to Istanbul and want to experience the richness of the place in your visit, then you might feel confused as to which places to visit and which to keep for the next time. This is because Istanbul is a any tourist’s delight as it has not just one or two riches but a plethora of beautiful and famous historical places to be explored. However, the following list of places will help you get the best of Istanbul in the shortest possible time----
Hagia Sophia Sultanahmet Istanbul Turkey
Hagia Sophia —Also known as Aya Sofya , this ancient monument was built in 532-537 A.D. during the rule of Justinian. Being one of the masterpieces of architectural design, it has Byzantine mosaics that date back from sixth century to the 10th century. It was converted to an Ottoman mosque following the fall of Byzantium. Now days, this church works as a museum open for public from Tuesday to Sunday.
Blue Mosque —Popularly known as Sultanahmet Mosque , this magnificent ancient building was made in 1609-1616 by Mehmet Aga. This functioning mosque has nearly 250 windows that allow natural light to flow in making the place appear larger in size. Tourists can enter the mosque once the prayers are over.
Topkapi Palace--- Topkapi Palace was built by Mehmet II after the conquest of Constantinople to be used as his main residence. Built in 1465, the buildings comprise a number of pavilions inside the huge courtyards. This palace used to be the Sultan’s residence and the official government seat. In 1924, Topkapi Palace was converted to a museum and since then, it has on display some of the most exquisite and finest collection of manuscripts, miniatures, jewelry, costumes and some items of religious significance.
Grand Bazaar--- Grand Bazaar is not just any ordinary place to shop. In fact, it has numerous shops, eating joints, banks and a mosque in its periphery. A visit to Istanbul is incomplete without visiting this famous place that is packed to capacity whenever you go there. This covered bazaar was built in 1453 by Mehmet II following his win over the city. It is open from Monday till Saturday.
Basilica Cistern---Meant to provide water to the Great imperial palace, this cistern was made in 532 A.D. by Justinian and is located near the Hippodrome. The cistern has 336 columns of being nearly 26 feet high providing support to the roof. The visitors can enjoy walking along the side ways of the cistern and listen to the mesmerizing sound of water.
Galata Tower--- Built in 1348, this huge tower seemingly touching the skyline used to serve the purpose of a watch tower during the Ottoman period. One can have views of Princes’ Islands from the top of this tower on clear days. The top floors of this tower have been converted to a night club and a restaurant.
Chora Church---This church of St. Savior was constructed in the 11th century at the site where an earlier church used to exist. The remodeling of Chora Church was done during 1315-1321 with the help of funds provided by an elite Byzantine theologian, Theodore Metochites. The walls and the roofs of this church have some of the most exquisite mosaics of the Byzantine period that depict religious scenes of Christ and Virgin Mary among others. The church now serves as a museum after its conversion into a mosque during the 16th century.
Spice Bazaar---As the structure was built from the funds collected through tax imposed on goods imported from Egypt, this bazaar got to be known as Egyptian Bazaar or Misir Carsisi. From spices, caviar, nuts to herbs, the bazaar is a good place to shop for spices of almost all types. This is a perfect place to shop for herbs to get relief from a number of ailments.
Dolmabahce Palace---Designed by the famous Armenian family of architects, this palace was made by Sultan Abdulmecit I in 1856. One can go inside the palace only by guided tour. The palace is still very luxuriant although it was built when the Ottoman Empire was on its last legs.
Eyup Sultan---Eyup is regarded as one of the main Muslim pilgrimage ranking only after Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem. It is the resting place of Eyup Ensari, the “alamdar” or the standard bearer of the Prophet Muhammad. Eyup Ensari was buried outside the city walls following his death during the siege of Constantinople by Arabs in 678 A.D. Meanwhile, a mosque was built around the tomb of Eyup Ensari by Sultan Mehmet II after he conquered Istanbul. Being a sacred place, it is often visited by Muslims for performing prayers and seeking blessings.